Preseason
Miami began the season ranked #11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and #12 in the Associated Press Poll after going 9–3 (6–2 ACC) in 2005 with a #18 ranking in the USA Today Coaches Poll (#17 AP).
Junior quarterback Kyle Wright finished second to Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Calvin Johnson in voting for the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.
Earlier during the summer, head coach Larry Coker announced that running back Tyrone Moss, receiver Ryan Moore, linebacker James Bryant, and receiver Rashaun Jones would be suspended for the first game of the season against Florida State for violating team policy. On August 26, Coker announced that Moore's suspension would be extended indefinitely. Moore would eventually return for the final two regular season games.
After back-to-back 9–3 seasons at Miami, where expectations are to compete for a national championship every year, it was widely believed that Coker was on the proverbial hot seat and needed to take the Hurricanes to a BCS bowl to keep his job. In the wake of last year's Peach Bowl loss, Coker fired four assistant coaches. During the offseason, Coker hired Rich Olson as his new offensive coordinator in an attempt to reinvigorate the Hurricane offense. Olson had previously served as Miami's offensive coordinator during the early 1990s under then-head coach Dennis Erickson.
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit picked Miami to win the 2006 national championship, predicting the Hurricanes would defeat Notre Dame in the national championship game.
See also 2006 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Read more about this topic: 2006 Miami Hurricanes Football Team